| Transformed : The guy who could get you anything |
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Guns, drugs, you name it, Steve Loha could supply. But in a prison cell it took just a hand drawn picture of Jesus Christ  to bring him to his knees and to his senses.Steve Loha was born and brought up in Glasgow, within a strict Sikh family culture. He had no links with the Christian Church except for attending Boys’ Brigade, ruled over by a stern Mr McTavish. It was the prospect of football rather than Bible reading that attracted Steve. He began his ‘life of crime’ at 13 and by 15 he was in Borstal. It was then that Steve participated in boxing as a defensive method as well as to inflict pain. . ‘My family were very ashamed of me,’ he says, ‘especially my mother who had taught me right from wrong.’ Undeterred by his first brush with the law, Steve became a ‘jack the lad’ and ‘life felt good’. It wasn’t long before he was charged with attempted murder. Steve now believes that it was ‘by God’s grace this was dropped to a ‘serious assault’, and less time was spent behind bars. A series of family tragedies brought him to despair. His father, with whom Steve was particularly close, died suddenly. ‘I was lost. Everything had been great and now he was gone.’ Then Steve’s younger brother died and a year after that, his oldest brother. ‘I was taking my frustrations out on people,’ Steve recalls, ‘drinking and taking drugs. My life fell apart. I came to the realisation that there was no God. ‘There was a time when I wanted to kill myself, but I didn’t have the guts.’ Returning from Gretna Green after an abortive attempt to marry his girlfriend, Steve was involved in a serious car accident. He spent six months in intensive care. He remembers going into the hospital chapel to pray for help though he admits ‘I had no intention of following this man (Jesus).’ Violence seemed to follow Steve around – even while in plaster from his accident, he caused serious damage to a man who attacked him. He stabbed him numerous times and narrowly escaped life in prison. He then turned his energy into making money. ‘I started transporting guns to Ireland. I was soon known as “the guy who can get you anything”.’ But money didn’t bring him happiness. When the law caught up with him, he found himself in Winchester Prison. Steve may not have believed in God, but that didn’t stop God. When a Christian inmate drew Steve a picture of Jesus, he threw it to the floor. ‘After all,’ he reasoned, ‘I’d made a lot of pacts with this man (Jesus) which I hadn’t fulfilled.’ Steve was asked to attend chapel by an inmate who had witnessed his anger. He was drawn to the crucifix, Jesus on the cross. Steve couldn’t get the image out of his head. In his cell, he picked up the picture of Jesus and put it on his wall. ‘It hit me that this man was innocent. I deserved to be where I was. Why did they kill him? I really wanted to find out.’ Steve went on his knees. ‘I’m sorry,’ he cried. ‘I realised that this God had put me there for a reason. All my life I had been running. As far as I was concerned I was my own god.’ Now things were different. Steve made a commitment to following Jesus – to put Him first in his life. He said a prayer asking for forgiveness for all the wrong things he had done and asking God to take control of his life. ‘I received God’s grace. Now I had a relationship with the living God. For the first time in my life I had found peace.’ In his enthusiasm, he even had God’s Word tattooed on his arm: ‘The joy of the Lord is your strength.’ (Nehemiah Chapter 8 verse 10) On his release Steve sought out a local vicar for guidance. ‘My heart was in prison, I wanted to help these guys.’ He linked up with other Christians working with prisoners and ex-offenders. He has also been able to share his faith with his family. His mother, a devout Sikh, gave her life to the Lord Jesus a year before her passing. His eldest sister has recently found Jesus. Steve’s wife was also baptised recently. Today Steve’s life has been turned around. He is involved with the Prince’s Trust, and is doing an NVQ whilst also helping to feed the homeless. He is involved with ‘Transformed’, a charity working with former prisoners in Southampton where he is based, and has a vision to spread the Christian message in rural India. Great things are going on in Steve’s life. He is a living witness and proof that Jesus can transform lives. Transformed is a monthly fellowship in South London (Brixton) and Southampton – run by Christian ex-offenders for offenders and ex-offenders and their families and friends. For details see the website www.transformed.org.uk Steve prayed a prayer like this when he decided to follow Jesus as his Saviour (his rescuer). Father God, I’m sorry that I’ve been trying to live my life without you. I am guilty of rebelling against you. I’ve fallen short of your perfect standard and I realise I can’t please you by my own efforts. Thank you that you sent Jesus to die on the cross because of your great love for me. I believe that he died and rose again so that I can be forgiven and have new life in him. Please forgive me and come into my life. Please send the Holy Spirit to help me live with Jesus as my Saviour and King from now on. Help me to live as your child, as part of your family. I know I still have a lot to learn but thank you that right now I know eternity is secure. Amen. If you sincerely prayed and put your trust in Jesus, then you have begun a personal relationship with God. Tell the person who gave you this paper or a Christian friend. Send off for a Mark’s Gospel to get you reading the Bible and the coupon on page 8 for more help. |
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